Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church has a long tradition of supporting Christian missions in Atlanta and around the world. We want to continue to make missions an important part of our church and its overall ministry. We support missions in several ways:

• Through contributions to the Cooperative Missions of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and their respective state organizations,
  
• Through Direct Missions contributions to 25+ organizations,
  
• Through Personal Volunteer Support of SPdL members,
  
• And, through Annual Partnership Missions that enable SPdL members to participate personally in exciting missions opportunities in Atlanta and around the world.

Through our missions involvement, our members, Sunday School classes and other groups can get involved and help carry out the Great Commission in our own community and beyond.

Our Partners in Missions

Our support for missions is divided into five distinct areas:

• Cooperative Missions
  
• International Missions
  
• Church Planting
  
• Social and Outreach Missions
  
• and Church Missions

Our church is proud to provide for these ongoing Christian ministries.

Cooperative Missions

Our annual giving to cooperative missions is determined by our annual church budget and the wishes of our members as indicated on annual commitment cards. The four organizations we support, representing many diverse ministries, are:

• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
  Our contributions to CBF support global missions, seminaries, colleges and new churches.
  
  
• Southern Baptist Convention
  Our contributions to SBC support the work of International Mission Board, North American Mission Board, six seminaries and the Annuity Board.
  
  
• Georgia Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
  Our support for Georgia CBF is helping fund new congregations, seminaries and providing support for church growth.
  
  
• Georgia Baptist Convention
  Our long-time support of GBC provides funding for traditional GBC ministries, including the Georgia Baptist Children‚s Homes and hospitals, as well as new churches, hospitals, colleges, counseling, church growth and pastor annuities.

International Missions

• Le Centre Biblique Evangelist, France
  SPdL member Elizabeth Musser and her husband operate an evangelical relationship ministry through International Teams in Montpelier, France.
  
  
• Tanzania Evangelism Partnership Mission (IMB)
  One of our partnership missions, our church supports the work of IMB missionaries and church members Tom and Nancy Jones.
  
  
• Romany People, Hungary
  Through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, SPdL has adopted the Romany (gypsy) people of Hungary.
  
  
• Medical Missions
  Our Missions Committee administers funds available through a special trust that is intended to provide support for a medical missionary.
  
  
• Missionary House
  The SPdL Missionary House is available as a temporary U.S. residence home for missionaries on furlough.

Church Planting

• The Brazilian Mission Church
  A growing church in Alpharetta that receives support from SPdL.
  
  
• Church Construction through Joshualand Ministries
  Based in Valrico, Florida, Joshualand Ministries Inc. coordinates the construction of new church buildings for fledgling congregations throughout the United States. SPdL sends mission teams each summer to participate in these efforts.

Social and Outreach Ministries

• Atlanta Youth Project
  This program was founded in 1991 to "stand in the gap" and reach out to youth who were not being reached for Jesus Christ. Their goal is to present Jesus Christ to urban youth, to disciple urban youth, and to provide safe, easy access for volunteers wishing to serve in the inner city. Summer camps are a core part of this program.
  
  
• Buckhead Christian Ministry
  BCM is a faith-based ministry supported by 24 area churches. It started as a food pantry and now provides compassionate emergency assistance to individuals and families in the Atlanta area. SPdL is a sponsor church, giving an annual contribution and stocking the food pantry at least two months of the year.
  
  
• The Baptist Student Union
  Local BSUs minister to students, faculty and staff on college campuses with the purpose of helping them develop and strengthen relationships with Jesus Christ. The BSUs at Georgia State and Georgia Baptist College of Nursing offer lunch programs, lead Bible studies and prayer groups, and plan mission projects and trips that aid in spiritual growth.
  
  
• Stewart Baptist Center
  Located east of downtown Atlanta, the Stewart Center has been serving community needs since 1917. The Center provides ministry programs for elementary school children, teenagers and senior adults.
  
  
• The Moncrief/Techwood Baptist Center
  Begun in 1962, the Moncrief/Techwood Baptist Center was located in one of the nation's first public housing projects. Today, the center provides a variety of services, ranging from counseling, Bible study and worship, to computer-assisted job training, a thrift store, and alcohol and drug treatment. SPdL volunteers work at the center weekly.

Church Missions

• Atlanta Baptist Association (ABA)
  The ABA assists each partnering church to be "on mission" in its own setting. They also provide support for community ministries.
  
  
• Atlanta Community Food Bank
  Second-Ponce de Leon volunteers help with the Food Bank's Product Rescue Center on third Thursday nights of select months. Together, we help inspect and repack donated food items, sending thousands of pounds of food on its way to food pantries and distribution systems across our city.
  
  
• Benevolence
  We maintain a benevolence fund to assist members or others associated with the church in their time of need.
  
  
• Home Rehab Mission Teams
  Our Home Rehab mission projects (which originated from our Faith and Our City event in April 2004) involve volunteers who perform light construction work to keep others "safe, warm and dry." Led by Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care Charles Qualls, these projects are coordinated in conjunction with the Atlanta Community Toolbank.
  
  
• Katrina Home ReConstruction Trips to Biloxi, Miss.
  In partnership with Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Second-Ponce de Leon offers members the opportunity to help rebuild homes of those affected by the devastating 2005 hurricane season. Whether in a SPdL-sponsored group or volunteering individually, our members are making a difference in this ministry on an ongoing basis.
  
  
• McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University
  The McAfee School prepares men and women for Christian ministry in an integrated environment of theological inquiry, spiritual formation, and practical experience. Founded in 1994, SPdL was one of the school‚s founding churches.
  
  
• Royal Ambassadors
  RA's, which meet together on Wednesday nights, provides boys an opportunity to learn more about missions around the world.
  
  
• Student Missions Tours
  Our Student Ministry takes a very active approach to missions projects, participating in several throughout the year. From March Missions Madness to PassPort Summer Camp and Operation Christmas Child - with additional awareness-building experiences also mixed in - our students work on a number of hands-on mission opportunities on a regular basis.
  
  
• WMU, Women's Missionary Union
  The WMU is an umbrella organization focused on the total support of missions, from learning to teaching to praying and providing financial support.

Other Organizations

The church provides support through direct contributions and individual members' contributions to many other organizations that are helping people at their point of need. Some of these include:

• Atlanta Community Ministries
  The stated mission of ACM is to get people "out of our seats and into the streets!" They provide an umbrella for hundreds of volunteers to put faith in action by meeting the needs of high-risk kids, internationals, teens, young professionals, the disadvantaged, people with physical challenges, and many more. Housed at SPdL for many years, ACM now has its own offices while still maintaining close ties to our church family.
  
  
• Haggai Institute
  This group was begun in 1969 to equip Asian, African and Latin American Christian leaders - who will train others - to reach their own people for Christ. Thousands of leaders have received training through this international and interdenominational organization.
  
  
• Summerhill Ministry
  Summerhill Ministry is a lay-led mission group that works with the local churches near the Summerhill community to provide spiritual support and promote Christian unity and reconciliation in the context of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. SPdL has been involved with Summerhill Ministry for more than a decade.

Learn More About Missions Opportunities

There are many ways to get involved in SPdL's missions work. You may want to volunteer to support a local ministry or be part of a team on a mission trip. If you're interested in finding a place to contribute your time and talents, please see the Mission Opportunities page or call the SPdL Church Office at 404.266.8111.